Joe Fusco

Joe Fusco
Biographical details
Born	February 3, 1938 (age 86); Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Playing career
1957–1959	Westminster (PA)
Position(s)	Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1960–1966	Wilmington Area HS (PA)
1967	Grove City Area HS (PA)
1968–1971	Westminster (PA) (assistant)
1972–1990	Westminster (PA)
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1985–1999	Westminster (PA)
Head coaching record
Overall	154–34–3 (college); 55–14–3 (high school)
Tournaments	19–5 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
	4 NAIA Division II (1976–1977, 1988–1989)
Awards
	2× NAIA Division II Coach of the Year (1988–1989)
	College Football Hall of Fame; Inducted in 2001 (profile)

Joseph B. Fusco (born February 3, 1938) is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania from 1972 to 1990, compiling a record of 154–34–3. Fusco was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2001.

Fusco had a lifetime association with Westminster College. He was guard on the football team from 1957 to 1959, assistant coach from 1968 to 1971, head coach from 1972 to 1990, and athletic director from 1985 to 1999. His other coaching duties were at Wilmington Area High School and Grove City Area Area High School, where he had a 55–14–3 record from 1960 to 1967.^[1] In 19 years at Westminster, his teams were ranked in the NAIA top 20 15 times, made in the NAIA Division II playoffs nine times, had a 27-game winning streak, and won four NAIA Division II Football National Championships, in 1976, 1977, 1988, and 1989. His record as head coach at Westminster was 154–34–3, a winning percentage of .814. His 1977 team won the Lambert Cup as the best small-college team in the East.

Fusco graduated from Westminster in 1960, added a master's degree in education in 1965 and a doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1980. In addition to the College Football Hall of Fame, Fusco is in the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, Western Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, Lawrence County Hall of Fame, and NAIA Hall of Fame.

Head coaching record

College


Year	Team	Overall	Bowl/playoffs	NAIA^#
Westminster Titans (NAIA Division II independent) (1972–1990)
1972	Westminster	7–1		7
1973	Westminster	7–1		6
1974	Westminster	7–2		12
1975	Westminster	6–1–1		7
1976	Westminster	10–1	W NAIA Division II Championship	1
1977	Westminster	11–0	W NAIA Division II Championship	1
1978	Westminster	6–2–1		14
1979	Westminster	4–5
1980	Westminster	5–3
1981	Westminster	10–1	L NAIA Division II Semifinal	4
1982	Westminster	9–2	L NAIA Division II Semifinal	7
1983	Westminster	9–2	L NAIA Division II Semifinal	5
1984	Westminster	5–2–1		20
1985	Westminster	5–4
1986	Westminster	6–3		17
1987	Westminster	9–2	L NAIA Division II Quarterfinal	7
1988	Westminster	14–0	W NAIA Division II Championship	1
1989	Westminster	13–0	W NAIA Division II Championship	1
1990	Westminster	11–2	L NAIA Division II Championship	3
Westminster:		154–34–3
Total:		154–34–3
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth
^#Rankings from NAIA Division II poll.

References

^ Mollica, Pete (April 25, 1968). "Sports beat—Fusco on Familiar Ground". New Castle News. New Castle, Pennsylvania. p. 23. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via Newspapers.com .

External links

Joe Fusco at the College Football Hall of Fame

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[1] Mollica, Pete (April 25, 1968). "Sports beat—Fusco on Familiar Ground". New Castle News. New Castle, Pennsylvania. p. 23. Retrieved November 5, 2019 – via Newspapers.com .

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